Pashmina's Challenge
by Awsomewriter123
Summary: Pashmina's had enough of Dexter and Howdy fighting over her, so she decides to settle their dispute with a challenge. Who will win? Dexter? Howdy? Or a different hamster? THE FINAL CHAPTER IS UP! PLEASE R&R!
1. The Challenge

**Ch.1**

**The Challenge**

It's been a while since I've posted anything in the Hamtaro section. Hopefully some of you still remember me. Anyways, this story contains some of my OCs, so if you don't know them, mini-bios are up on my profile. Please R&R!

* * *

The sun beckoned the humans out of their homes for many summer activities such as swimming, going on bike rides, or just being lazy outside. But the humans weren't the only ones out and about. The Ham Hams wiggled their way out of their cages and to their favorite hang out spot: The clubhouse.

Pashmina walked through the sun-soaked grass with her tiny friend Penelope by her side. "I wonder what the Ham Hams are up to. It's too nice of a day to stay inside, so maybe they're out playing soccer."

"Okwee!" replied Penelope.

"Neither am I," replied Pashmina with a slight chuckle. "I think I'll just cheer from the sidelines."

Penelope nodded in agreement. Looking ahead, she began to jump up and down. "Okwee Okyuu!"

"What is it Penelope?' asked the older hamster. Penelope pointed ahead at a red and white-furred hamster walking towards the clubhouse. A smile played across Pashmina's face as she and Penelope rushed towards the boy hamster. "Good morning Kai!"

Kai stopped in place, taking a moment before turning to the two girl hamsters. "H-Hi Pashmina, hi Penelope." Pashmina gave a slight giggle, noticing the boy hamster blushing. Kai almost always blushed shyly when someone spoke to him. "Um…do you two, uh, you know, wanna walk to the clubhouse together?"

"Okay!" exclaimed Pashmina, combined with an 'okyuu' from Penelope. Although the Clubhouse was less than five minutes away, Pashmina was happy to fulfill the boy ham's request.

The past couple minutes went by without the three saying a word. Pashmina flicked her eyes towards Kai, who was gazing about the area nervously as he tried to think of something to say to the girl ham. The pink scarf-wearing hamster suddenly grasped his paw with hers, causing the boy ham's face to turn a darker shade of red. Pashmina smiled at Kai, releasing a small giggle.

"Pashmina!" Before he could do anything, Kai was thrown head over heels as two other hamsters immediately stood by Pashimna's side.

"Isn't the weather lovely Pashmina?" asked Dexter.

"Going t' th' clubhouse I see," said Howdy. "Lemme get that door fer ya."

However, Dexter was already there, his paw on the handle. "Oh please Howdy, why don't you go play with your apron somewhere else?" Howdy's reply was a bit more physical than Dexter wished it had been as the country ham booted him away from the door.

"I said I'd get th' door fer Pashmina!" said Howdy as he swung the door open. "There ye go Pashmina."

Dexter, however, wasn't about to give up as he stood at Pashmina's side. "Fine, then I'll walk Pashmina into the Clubhouse while you stay here."

Howdy released a growl of anger as he took after his rival and his crush, stepping on Kai as the red and white-furred hamster attempted to pick himself up from the ground. "Oh no ye don't! I'm getting' that door fer Pashmina too!" Penelope, fearful for her friend's survival, dashed down the underground hallway.

Kai sighed sadly as he rose to his paws, rubbing the area on his back where Howdy had stepped on him. "Not again."

* * *

Pashmina half walked half jogged to the stool between Bijou and Sandy, panting slightly as she planted herself down.

"Are Dexter and Howdy fighting over you again?" asked Bijou as she handed her friend a cup of tea.

The pink scarf-wearing hamster shrugged as Penelope arrived, Sandy scooting over so the tiny hamster could be next to Pashmina. "Actually, it wasn't as violent this time," Pashmina flopped her head down on the desk with an exasperated sigh. "But still really annoying."

Sandy shook her head as Howdy and Dexter entered the clubhouse, Dexter 'accidentally' shutting the door before Kai could get inside. "Dexter and Howdy need to, like, cool it. Can't they see you and Kai totally have a thing?"

"Kai and I don't 'have a thing'," replied Pashmina, blushing slightly. "And for some reason, everyone thinks we do, so Howdy and Dexter are trying even harder to get me to like them."

"If you don't 'ave feeling for Kai, zen why are you blushing?" asked Bijou.

"Well, I just had to run from two hamsters, so of course my cheeks would be a bit flushed," explained Pashmina before taking a sip of her tea.

Sandy looked at her friend with confusion. "But you didn't start blushing until we, like, mentioned Kai."

"Okyuu Okwee Okwee!" replied Penelope as she made kissing faces at Pashmina.

Pashmina's face flushed even redder. "Oh hush you!"

* * *

As the day began to come to a close, one by one, the hamsters bid farewell to their friends. Pashmina, knowing that Penelope needed to be home early, accompanied her younger friend out of the Clubhouse and back into the grassy park.

"Did you have fun today Penelope?' asked Pashmina.

Penelope smiled back at her friend. "Okyuu!"

"That's good," replied the older hamster. "Remember when Hamtaro tried to read on of Maxwell's books and…" She stepped suddenly, her ears sticking up. She could tell someone was behind her and coming quickly. Two someones to be exact.

"Outta my way four eyes!"

"In your dreams country boy!" Pashmina and Penelope looked back to see Dexter and Howdy bickering with each other once again as they ran towards their crush.

Pashmina sighed tiredly. "What are you two doing?"

"I was wondering if I could walk you home!" explained Dexter.

"Yer only sayin' that 'cause I wanted t' walk 'er home!" snapped Howdy.

The bowtie-wearing hamster rolled his eyes. "Surely you jest. I've been thinking about walking Pashmina home since this morning."

"Well I've been thinkin' 'bout walkin' 'er home since last night!" countered his adversary.

"Were not!"

Were too!"

"Not!"

"Were!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Penelope began to back away slowly upon seeing the growing annoyance on Pashmina's face. Pashmina rarely got angry, but when she did, it wasn't pretty. "BOTH OF YOU BE QUIET!" The two boy hams immediately stopped, staring at Pashmina with surprise.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice like that," said Pashmina. "But frankly, I've had enough of your arguing! You want me to be your girlham? Fine! I will!"

"Um, I don't think you can be both of our girlhams," explained Dexter.

Pashmina shook her head. "That's not what I meant. We need to settle this once and for all."

"Yeah, but how?" asked Howdy as he scratched his head in confusion.

The pink scarf-wearing hamster took a moment to think before a sudden thought came into her head. "A date! We can go on a date!"

"At the same time?" asked Dexter.

"No," explained Pashmina. "You each take me on a separate date. The date I enjoy more wins. How's that?"

Dexter nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me, but who gets to go on a date with you first?"

"Um…do one of you have a seed?" asked Pashmina hastily.

Howdy stuck his paw under his apron, producing a sunflower seed. "Yeah, right here! I was gonna give ye this."

"A seed from under your apron?" asked Dexter as he pulled a face of disgust. "That's unsanitary!"

"Howdy, could you chew the shell off of one of the sides?" asked the pink scarf-wearing hamster. Howdy nodded as he quickly did as he was told. "There ye go gorgeous."

"Thanks," replied Pashmina, a little grossed out as she remembered where the seed had been. "Okay, I'll toss the seed in the air. If it lands on the side with the shell, Howdy goes first. If it's the side without the shell, Dexter goes first." She tossed the seed into the air, the two boy hams holding their breath as the seed tumbled on the ground.

Pashmina picked up the seed, showing the boys the side without the shell. "Looks like Dexter goes first."

Dexter sneered at his opponent. "And first is the place I'll obtain. You sure you don't want to back out now Howdy?"

"There ain't no way I'm losin' t' you!" stated Howdy as the two gave each other death stares.

Pashmina sighed in defeat as Penelope looked at her worriedly. "What have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! I'll update this fic every Sunday. Please R&R!


	2. Dinner with Dexter

**Ch.2**

**Dinner with Dexter**

Thank you for all the reviews and the hits! Here's the second chapter. Please R&R!

* * *

Pashmina and her loyal friend Penelope traveled down the underground tunnel. Unlike other days though, she wasn't very excited to go to the Clubhouse. "Hopefully today will just go by quickly." Penelope nodded in agreement as Pashmina went to drab the doorknob. However, before she could reach the doorknob, a pair of paws grabbed her from behind, dragging her and Penelope away from the Clubhouse and around the corner.

"Go away!" shouted Pashmina as she held Penelope away from her captors. "I don't have any seeds!"

"Pashmina, calm down! It's just us."

The pink scarf-wearing hamster quickly snapped out of panic mode as she saw Sandy, Bijou, and Tennis.

"Oh…sorry about that," replied Pashmina as she placed Penelope back down. "What was that for?"

"We totally need to talk!" answered Sandy. "Especially after what happened yesterday!"

"Yeah, what's this 'challenge' thing you've got going on?" asked Tennis as she toyed with her racket.

Pashmina sighed with defeat. "I dunno. I was so stressed and annoy that…it just kinda slipped out."

"But you don't even like Howdy or Dexter like zat," noted Bijou.

Tennis shrugged as she sat on a nearby rock. "Who cares? This sounds like fun! So, what are the rules?"

"Each of the boys takes me on a date, the best date wins and I become their girlham," the pink scarf-wearing hamster replied quickly, uttering the words as if they were some sort of distasteful memory. "Dexter's date is tonight and Howdy's is tomorrow."

"And zen Kai ez zee next day?" added Bijou.

Pashmina shook her head, blushing slightly. "Come on, Kai and me are just friends!" The rest of the girls groan aloud with frustration.

"Okyuu okwee okwee," replied Penelope as she rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," replied Pashmina, blushing a bit more while crossing her arms." Bijou, Sandy, and Tennis simply blinked.

"Um…translation please?" asked Sandy while scratching her head in confusion.

"It's nothing," replied Pashmina sharply. "Look, I'd rather not talk about my little situation. I just want it to be over with as soon as possible."

* * *

Pashmina's owner was out of town for the weekend, so it was easy for her to sneak out at late hours. As soon as she exited her home, Dexter was standing at the front door waiting for her. She could tell by the way his fur shined that he had spent a good amount of time prepping himself for the occasion.

"Good evening Pashmina," began Dexter with a gentlemanly bow. "You're looking as lovely as ever."

"Thanks," replied the girl hamster. "You too."

The boy hamster extended his paw to her. "Shall we?" Although a bit apprehensive, the pink scarf-wearing hamster took his paw.

* * *

Pashmina and Dexter laughed as they walked down the busy street. "Dexter, I had no idea you were so funny!"

"You're quite the witty one yourself," replied the boy hamster.

"So…where are we going?' asked Pashmina.

"You'll see when we get there," replied Dexter. "It's not much further."

After a few more minutes of walking, the two arrived in front of a hamster-sized door on the side of a tall building, a bright sign in gold reading L'azur est aAugmente'.

"Oh my goodness!" squealed the awe-stricken girl hamster. "I can't believe you got us a table at…um…I can't pronounce the name, but you usually need to call weeks in advance! How'd you pull it off?"

Dexter shrugged coolly. "I got the owner a good deal on a new pair of glasses, so he owed me a favor. Come on, it's even more beautiful on the inside."

After a short elevator ride to the top, the two entered a large, ballroom-like area. Red carpeting and golden chandeliers covered the room. To add to the atmosphere, the entire dining area was surrounded by large windows, overlooking the bright city lights below along with the starlit sky above.

"I must be dreaming," said the girl hamster as she and Dexter followed a waiter to the empty table by one of the windows.

"If you're dreaming, then I guess we're dreaming the same thing," replied Dexter. "And this would definitely be the best dream I've ever had." Pashmina couldn't help but blush.

"Good evening," replied one of the waiters. "My name is How…Howard. Can I start you two off with something to drink?"

Pashmina was the first to reply. "I'll just have water."

"Me two," replied Dexter.

"Alright then," replied the waiter. "I'll be back in a minute." A mischievous smile reached 'Howard's' lips as he entered the kitchen and grabbed a pitcher of water. "Hehehehe, good thing Dexter's too stupid t' see me through my disguise." Howdy tipped the pitcher, filling two of the glasses. "He ain't gotta chance of winnin' with me as their waiter!" He grabbed a nearby salt shaker, sprinkling some into one of the cups as he grabbed a packet of sugar. After creating his special concoction, Howdy placed the two glasses on a tray. "Great, now I gotta speak all proper again."

'Howard' soon arrived back at Pashmina and Dexter's table. "Here you are. Have you decided on what you would like tonight?"

Pashmina nodded. "Yes, I'll be having the tonight's special soup."

"I'll have what she's having," replied Dexter as he stared dreamily at his date.

The waiter did his best not to hint his disgust for the other hamster's behavior. "Right, good choice. That'll be ready in a few minutes." Dexter took a sip of his water before immediately spitting it back out into Pashmina's face.

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Dexter as he grabbed his napkin. "I'm so sorry!"

"It appears there's something wrong with your water," noted 'Howard as he took Dexter's glass. "I'll bring you a new one." The waiter quickly made his exit back into the kitchen, a pleased grin plastered on his face. "Hehehe! Score one fer Team Howdy! How ye like them apples four eyes?"

* * *

Pashmina sat in her chair, staring out the window. There wasn't much else for her to do while she waited for her food. Dexter had used all of his witty conversation skills on the way to the restaurant and didn't know what else to talk about and after the little water incident, she wasn't in much of a mood to talk to him.

_"How can tonight go from great to bad so quickly?"_ Pashmina thought as she flet her damp scarf. _"The way here was good, but now…well, you mess with the scarf, you're asking for trouble. The date's not over yet. Maybe Dexter has another surprise to reveal."_

"Your dinner has arrived," said the waiter as he placed the two bowls of soup in front of Dexter and Pashmina. "Enjoy!"

Howdy hurried back to the kitchen, hiding behind the door as he watched the two begin eating their soup. "Ha! Ye just ran outta luck Dex! Yer date ain't gonna last much longer thanks to my friend Mr. Laxative! Ye'll be on the can fer a while after this kicks in!" He watched the two continue eating, the time passing gradually. Ten minutes went by as Howdy tapped his paw impatiently. "What's takin' so long? It shoulda kicked in by now! Why isn't Dexter makin' a run t' the bathroom?"

Dexter chuckled nervously, desperate to make some sort of conversation to end the awkward silence. "Um…enjoying your meal?"

Pashmina smiled politely and nodded. "Yes, thank you." As the words left her mouth, she felt something twisting in her lower stomach as pressure began to build.

"Um, are you alright Pashmina?" asked Dexter worriedly.

"I…I gotta…go," replied the girl hamster. She quickly exited her seat, practically sprinting towards the bathroom.

"Oh dang it!" wailed Howdy from the kitchen. "I got the bowls messed up!"

Dexter exited his chair, hurrying after his date. Pashmina wait! What's wrong?" He pushed past the door, not noticing that it read 'ladies'." What result was an array of squealing girls, the sound of paws beating the luckless boy ham, and unearthly bodily functions from the unfortunate Pashmina."

Howdy simply shook his head in amazement. "Wow, I didn't even plan that part! I didn't mean fer that t' happen t' Pashmina, but I'll make it up t' her tomorrow. Looks like my work here is done."

One of the cooks walked up to Howdy. "Hey bub, the couple on table twelve is waiting for their food."

The 'waiter' slipped off his disguise, walking towards the exit. "Get someone else t' do it buddy. I don't even work here!"

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I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry if anyone was offended by the use of bodily functions. Please R&R!


	3. A Hayride with Howdy

**Ch.3**

**A Hayride with Howdy**

Thanks again to those who review! Please R&R!

* * *

Pashmina sat in her cage in June's room, staring out the window. The moon was out, surrounded by an array of twinkling stars. "Howdy should be here soon." She couldn't help but shudder as memories of the previous night invaded her mind.

"I hope tonight goes better than last night," said the pink scarf-wearing hamster to herself. "It was going so well, but after a dinner like _that_…I can't believe I got food poisoning like that! At least I don't have to stay on the toilet anymore." She paused her monologue as the sound of pebbles pelting the window reached her ears. Exiting her cage the girl hamster walked to the window to see Howdy standing on a tree branch outside.

"Good evenin' gorgeous," greeted Howdy. "Ye ready t' go?"

* * *

After a few minutes, the two were walking down the grassy flooring of the park. Pashmina rarely went to the park at such a late hour, especially since there were no lights around. The dark was quite a scary entity, for one never knew what was just around the corner.

Howdy grasped the girl hamster's paw, causing her to feel a bit easier. "Don't worry Pashmina. "nothin' bad's gonna happen, not while I'm around. If a cat shows up, I'll kick its oversized butt 'til there ain't a stitch of fur left on it."

For the first time in a while, possibly the first time ever, Pashmina found herself giggling at Howdy's words. "Thanks Howdy."

The boy hamster blushed happily, glad to see his date was having a good time. "Anytime beautiful." As guitar music filled the two hamsters' ears, Howdy led Pashmina around one of the trees. "We're here!" Jingle sat on the back of his pig companion Herbert, who had a wheeled cart filled with hay attached to him. The wandering ham strummed gently on his guitar, filling the night's natural orchestra with his peaceful melodies.

"Yer chariot awaits," added Howdy as he led the girl hamster to the cart.

"How did you plan all of this?" asked Pashmina as Howdy gave her a boost onto the cart.

"I watched over Herbert fer th' past week," explained Howdy as he hopped onto the cart. "So Jingle owes me."

"Hopefully this will pay my debt," added Jingle to Pashmina. "So prepare yourself for a night you'll never forget." With a gentle nudge from Jingle, the pig began to walk, pulling the cart and the hamsters in it.

_"Okay, so it's not exactly a horse-drawn carriage, but I never knew Howdy could be so romantic," _thought Pashmina as she settled into the hay. It gave off a pleasant aroma. Combined with Jingle's music, the gentle night sounds, and the star-lit sky, it was a feast for the nose, ears, and eyes.

Howdy looked over at his date, a grin coming to his face as he saw her smile. _"Yer doin' good Howdy! Now it's time t' impress her with yer best jokes yet! Good thing I saw that joke book lying around at the Clubhouse. Watch out Pashmina, 'cause after my jokes, you'll be laugh off that cute butt of yers!"_

Meanwhile, sitting high above in the trees, Dexter chuckled wickedly to himself. "Oh Howdy, you honestly think I believe that all the misfortune caused last night was mere coincidence? Only you could cause such a wonderful date to go sour. You think you're the only one who can sabotage dates? Well two can play at that game!" He gazed at the cover of the book The Best Jokes Ever. "I didn't even have to sabotage your jokes. You can mess those up well enough on your own! However, I'll do all I can to win!" He ripped off the cover of the book, revealing the true cover: The Worst Jokes Ever.

"Hey Pashmina," said Howdy. "What's an archeologist?"

The girl hamster shrugged. "Um, I have no idea."

"Someone whose career is in ruins!" exclaimed Howdy before bursting into laughter. "Get it? Ruins!" However, the lack of laughter from the girl hamster caused him to chuckle nervously. "Hehe, yeah, that wasn't that funny. I know! How do two snails fight?"

"I don't know," replied Pashmina.

"They slug it out!" proclaimed Howdy. He fell on his back from laughing so much, while Pashmina simply sighed with annoyance. Even Jingle sweat dropped and Herbert gave an agitated snort.

The country hamster once again chuckled nervously. "Um, yeah, that was a stinker too, but ye know wot they say: third time's th' charm!"

* * *

The next twenty minutes were filled with the worst jokes Pashmina had ever heard. She struggled the urge to throw herself out of the cart and run home. _"Poor Jingle and Herbert. I didn't mean to make them suffer through this. This is exactly what happened last night. It starts out good, but ends badly! Why does history have to repeat itself!"_

Skulking behind the bushes, Dexter giggle like a stereotypical evil genius. "All is going according to plan. Please forgive me Pashmina for subjecting you to the slop Howdy calls 'jokes'. Don't worry, I plan to end this fiasco of a date here and now!" He pulled out a blowgun. "I spent quite some time learning to use this, all in the name of love. I'm not one of animal cruelty, but it'll only feel like a tiny poke."

"Okay, um…maybe sixty eighth time's the charm," Howdy said hopefully.

"I know combining rhymes and violence lacks class," said Jingle as he glared out Howdy. "But say another word and I'll kick your…" Herbert squealed as Dexter's dart met its mark. Although the dart didn't really hurt, it was certainly enough to startle him.

"Whoa, Herbert, what's up?" asked Jingle. "You sound like a frightened pup!"

"An' ye think my jokes are bad," muttered Howdy as he sweat dropped. Herbert suddenly took off full speed, forcing the hamsters to hold on for dear life.

Howdy clung to the side of the cart with all of his strength. "Can't ye stop this crazy thing?"

"I dunno if I can!" shouted Jingle. "I was kinda hoping you had a plan!"

From behind one of the many bushes in the park, Dexter performed a short victory dance. "Ha! Take that Howdy! I hope you have a fun trip!" However, his celebration was cut short as a sudden thought came to him. "Oh cats! Pashmina's still on the cart! I'm coming Pashmina!" Dexter took off full speed after the cart, not noticing that Pashmina had fallen out shortly after Herbert's freak out.

The girl hamster hauled herself off the ground, taking a moment to dust herself off. "I guess that's the end of my date." She groaned as she began to walk home. "This walk is gonna stink."

Since she now had a lot of spare time on her paws, she began to compare the two dates. "Let's see, Dexter brought me to a fancy restaurant with an incredible view while Howdy brought me on a hay ride which also had a great view. Both were romantic, but then it just went downhill from there. I learned a lot about the two, but I could never date either of them! And now they expect me to choose by tomorrow!" Pashmina groaned as she buried her face in her paws. "Nice going Pashmina. You've gotten yourself into quite a mess." She instantly looked up as the sound of a motor reached her ears, looking to her right, Pashmina saw a red rally car speeding down the park. It came to a screeching halt in front of her. The window of the driver's side lowered, allowing Pashmina to see the driver.

"Seth, what are you doing here?" asked the girl hamster.

"I'm just out for a drive," answered the sand-colored hamster. You're lookin' a bit lonely. Need a lift?" Not wanting to stay in the spooky darkness of the park anymore, Pashmina nodded before sitting herself in the passenger's seat. The car suddenly shot forward with increasing speed, causing the frightened girl hamster to grab her seat.

"What are you doing out so late?" asked Seth, taking a sharp left turn. Pashmina swore the car was only on two wheels for at least three seconds. "Isn't your human worried?"

Pashmina tried to recompose herself. "Well, she's out of town. She's coming back late tonight." Pashmina released a squeak of fear as the car went over a hump, causing the car to go airborne momentarily. "I was on a date with Howdy."

"And he didn't offer to take you home?" asked Seth. "That's doesn't sound like a good date."

"You don't know the half of it!" groaned Pashmina as she massaged her temple. "They were both disasters! I can't choose between the two! I don't know what to do!"

Seth sighed as he made a quick right turn. "Look Pashmina, I didn't wanna do this, but my little bro Kai is way too shy to ask you himself. Will you go on a date with him?"

"A date?" asked Pashmina, trying her beast not to pay attention to the rising speed. "Um…I dunno."

"Come on," begged the older hamster. "It doesn't have to be long. A couple of hours will do. It'd really make his day."

Pashmina nodded. "Well, I guess so, but we're going as friends, okay?"

"Fine by me," replied the sand-colored hamster as he came to a screeching halt. Pashmina thought the seat belt was giving her the Heimlich maneuver. "He'll pick you up at noon. Does that sound okay?"

The girl hamster rushed to get out of the car, not wanting to stay in the rollercoaster-of-death-like contraption. "Sure! That's great!"

"Awesome!" exclaimed Seth. "Don't worry, you won't regret it!"

Pashmina waved as Seth sped away like a red arrow. Once again, she buried her face in her paws. "Too late."

* * *

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Please R&R!


	4. Her Reasoning

**Ch.4**

**Her Reasoning**

Welcome to the next chapter! Please R&R!

* * *

Pashmina could not keep herself from yawning that morning. Bags formed under her eyes from the lack of sleep. Penelope looked up at her caretaker worriedly. "Ookwee?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine," replied the pink scarf-wearing hamster as she flashed a weak smile.

The tiny hamster shook her head at Pashmina. "Ookyuu ookwee."

"I just didn't sleep well last night, but really, I'm okay!" said Pashmina, her words mixed with a bit of irritation.

"Ookwee ookwee ookyuu!" snapped Penelope, hopping up and down.

"That's enough Penelope!" spat Pashmina. The tiny hamster backed away, causing Pashmina to frown. "I-I'm sorry. You're right, I'm a wreck!" A pair of paws suddenly grabbed her and Penelope, dragging the two behind a nearby tree.

"Don't freak out like last time, it's just us again," said Tennis as Sandy released Pashmina and Penelope.

Pashmina breathed a sigh of relief. "You guys really need to stop doing that. What's up?"

"Oh, you know what's up," replied Sandy as she placed her paws on her hips. "Today's the day you have to, like, choose between Dexter and Howdy."

"But we heard zat you're going on a date with Kai," added Bijou.

"Wait, who told you that?" asked the pink scarf-wearing hamster, backing away slightly in surprise.

Tennis simply shrugged. "Word travels fast in the hamster word. Just be thankful that Dexter and Howdy haven't heard about it yet. We wanna understand you're thinking here. Are you gonna choose Kai? Is that why you agreed to go on a date with him?"

"How many times do I have to tell you guys?" barked Pashmina as she folded her arms and looked away. "Kai is a very nice hamster, but we are simply friends and nothing more!"

"But we've seen zee looks you give him," noted the French hamster. "And how you blush whenever we talk about 'im."

Pashmina shook her head. "What? I do not!"

"But you're totally blushing right now," added Sandy, pointing at the reddening face of her friend.

The pink scarf-wearing hamster once again looked away. "It's a hot day today. Look, whatever thoughts you've created in your minds about me and Kai, just forget about them, okay?"

"Alright, fine," replied Tennis. "So, who's it gonna be? Dexter or Howdy?" Pashmina went to speak, but when she opened her mouth, no words came out. "You don't want either of them, do you?"

"Okay, you wanna here me say it?" snapped Pashmina as she began to pace back and forth angrily. "Fine, I'll say it! I don't like Howdy or Dexter like that! I could never be in a relationship with either of them!"

"And it's 'cause you like Kai," added Sandy adamantly.

"Okay whatever! I'll say that too! I like Kai! I like him a lot!" shouted a nearly hysterical Pashmina. "But I'm not like you guys! I don't frequently try to decide who I like! Bijou, you're in a love square with Hamtaro, Boss, and Ace, Sandy, you like Maxwell, but you have feelings for Ty too, and Tennis, you're almost as bad as Stan with all the flirting you do! Why do I have to force myself into a relationship? Can't those boys just be happy enough just being my friend? Can't anyone accept the fact that I don't think I'm ready for a relationship?"

Bijou cautiously placed a paw on the pant Pashmina's shoulder. "Pashmina, we're sorry for pressuring you like zat, but we want to know. Why do you zink you're not ready for a relationship?"

Pashmina took a moment to catch her breath, seeming as if she had calmed down a bit. "Well, Kai and I just met not too long ago. I mean…we haven't had time to just be friends."

"What's wrong with that? asked Tennis. "I've gone out with a bunch of guys I meet randomly."

The pink scarf-wearing hamster glared at Tennis. "But I'm not like that. Kai and I are pretty good friends. What if…what if I were to go out with him and something happens? I don't wanna ruin our friendship!"

"Well, I'm no psychic or anything," began Tennis. "It might work out between you two and it might not, but you'll never know until you try."

"Besides, it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved," added Sandy as she joined Pashmina. "That's, like, one of the laws of love!"

It took Pashmina a few moments to soak in all the information given to her by her friends, but she eventually threw on a smile and nodded. "You're right. Maybe I should try and see what happens between me and Kai." However, her sudden optimism quickly faded away into another frown.

"What wrong now?" asked Bijou.

"How am I suppose to keep Dexter and Howdy distracted while I'm on my date with Kai?" asked Pashmina worriedly.

Penelope stepped forward, a confident grin on her face. "Ookyuu ookwee ookwee ookyuu ookwee ookyuu ookyuu!"

"Um…yeah, we're gonna need a translation," said Sandy as she, Tennis, and Bijou sweat dropped.

"Penelope said that she has a plan," explained Pashmina as she smiled at the tiny hamster. "Let's just hope it works."

* * *

Sorry for the shorter-than-usual chapter! With the Super Bowl on tonight, I'm trying to cram everything I have to do today before then. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The final chapter will be up next week! Please R&R!


	5. Third Time's the Charm

**Ch.5**

**Third Time's the Charm**

Welcome to then final chapter of this fic! Please R&R!

* * *

Dexter and Howdy exited the Clubhouse and entered the grassy field of the park. Before them stood their hearts' desire, the pink scarf-wearing Pashmina, along with Penelope. Both of the boy hamsters' hearts pounded rapidly against their chests as they fought not to sweat.

"I wanna thank the two of you for the dates you took me on," began Pashmina. "Some parts we good, others were…not as good." Dexter and Howdy shifted uncomfortably. "But after both of the dates, I can't choose between the two of you."

"WHAT?" exclaimed the two boys in unison.

The two glared at each other before Pashmina grabbed their attention again. "That's why I've decided to have a tie-breaker."

"Sounds good t' me," replied Howdy with a cocky grin.

Dexter nodded in agreement. "What do we have to do?"

"Well, you see," explained the pink scarf-wearing hamster. "My owner is coming home early today, so I need someone to watch Penelope. Could you two look after her?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Howdy and Dexter hastily.

"Good," replied Pashmina cheerfully. "Whoever takes better care of Penelope wins, okay?"

Howdy dusted off his apron. "Fine by me gorgeous! Penelope likes me better anyways."

"Surely you jest," sneered Dexter. "She definitely likes me more than you!"

As Howdy and Dexter's latest argument continued to heighten, Pashmina knelt down by her tiny friend. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Ookwee!" exclaimed Penelope.

"Alright then," replied the older girl. "Good luck!" She began to walk away from the group. "I gotta go! You know, 'cause my owner's coming home soon. Have fun!" Her walked became a hurried jog as the sound of Dexter and Howdy began to fade in the distance.

"Maybe Penelope would like to have a tea party."

"Tea parties are fer girls!"

"Penelope is a girl!"

"I know that! I meant girly-girls four eyes!"

* * *

Although Pashmina lied about her owner coming home early, the part about having to go home was the truth. Just like the past two dates, Kai would pick her up at her owner's house. "I really hope this works out. If this ends up like my date with Howdy and Dexter…well, third time's the charm." The girl hamster's ears perked up as motorized sounds crept into her ears. A few seconds later, a red sports car pulled up in front of her with Kai in the driver's seat.

"H-H-Hi Pashmina," said Kai nervously. He looked as if he was about to pass out."

"Hi Kai!" exclaimed Pashmina. "I didn't know you had a car…or that you could drive."

"It's my brother's," explained Kai as he got out of the driver's seat. "He let me borrow it. Don't worry, he taught me a few things," He opened the passenger's side door for the girl hamster. "I-I'm not a crazy driver like my brother. I wouldn't even try anything risky since he said he'd rip my head off if messed up the car." Pashmina breathed a sigh of relief as she took her seat.

The boy hamster quickly headed back to the driver's seat and buckled himself in. "A-Are you ready?"

Pashmina nodded with a smile. "Yep!"

"_At least she is," _thought the boy hamster as he took the car out of park and into drive. _" 'Cause I dunno if I am."_

* * *

After a car ride filled mostly with awkward silence, the two pulled up to their destination. The indoor area housed a large screen with enough room for multiple cars.

"Cool!" exclaimed the pink scarf-wearing hamster. "An indoor drive-thru movie! What movie are we seeing?"

"Um, I'm not sure actually," confessed her date as he pulled into one of the parking spaces. "But Seth said it was good."

* * *

The movie turned out to be an old black-and-white film, but it was still really good. The two did their best to pay attention to the movie, but their minds were cluttered with thoughts.

"_Should I hold her paw?"_ thought the boy hamster franticly. _"But my paw's all sweaty and covered in popcorn butter. She probably doesn't like sweaty paws. Maybe I should put my arm around her. No! My armpits are sweaty too! No one likes sweaty, stinky armpits! I guess I should just sit by myself. Wait, but what if she does want me to hold her paw! If I don't, she might think I don't like her, but if I do, she might not like it. If she wanted to make body contact, she could have leaned on me or something, but she hasn't! But maybe she wants me to make the first move. Gaaaah! Overload!"_

"_The movie's almost over and he hasn't even held my paw," _noted the girl hamster. _"Is it my breath? Did I say something wrong? No, I know he'd try something. I know he likes me. Maybe he's too nervous. Don't chicken out on me now! Well, it's not the end of the movie yet, he might try something. Should I make the first move or wait? What should I do?"_

Both hamsters looked at each other, blushing and chuckling nervously before turning their attention back to the movie. Two hamsters were being put in a police car as the detective hamster began to undo the ropes binding the female hamster to the chair.

"Jonathan, you came back for me!" said the girl hamster.

"Of course I did Marsha," replied Jonathan. "I wasn't about to let those two dirt bags get away with what they did. Besides, you walked out of my life once already, I'll be damned if it happens again!"

Marsha massaged her freed wrists as she kicked away the last bit of rope around her legs. "What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you love me?"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," answered the detective. "Are you saying you love me?"

"I-I don't know," confessed Marsha as she turned away from Jonathan. "You know what happened last time. What if it happens again?"

The detective hamster turned her around, making eye contact with her. "Well that's life baby, it's unpredictable. Sometimes you just gotta throw the dice and hope for the best." Jonathan swept the female hamster off her paw before planting a kiss on her lips.

Kai and Pashmina turned to each other, only for their lips to touch one another's. The two of them were wide-eyed with shock momentarily before giving into their emotions, shutting their eyes and continuing the kiss. After a few seconds the two broke the kiss, both of them blushing considerably.

"Um, D-Did we just…kiss?" asked Kai, his face growing redder by the second.

Pashmina nodded as she tried to regain her composure. "Yeah…I think we did."

"Does…does this mean we're, you know, together?" asked the red and white hamster. The two hamster went in again, locking lips for a few seconds before breaking apart. "Um, I'm gonna take that as a 'yes'." Pashmina suddenly frowned. "What's wrong? Was I a bad kisser? Or was that kiss a 'no'?"

"No, it was a yes, and I wouldn't know if you were a good kisser, you're my first," explained the girl hamster. "It's just that I'm not sure what to do about Howdy and Dexter. They'll be devastated if they found out we're together. I know they can be annoying, but I don't think I could bear hurting them like that."

"Um, we could keep this a secret if you want," suggested Kai. "I-I don't mind."

Pashmina leaned in, planting a kiss on Kai's cheek before hugging the boy hamster. "It'll be out little secret."

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I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the fic! Please R&R!


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